Field
The described technology generally relates to a flexible display device.
Description of the Related Technology
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display can bend when a flexible substrate such as a plastic film is used instead of a rigid substrate like glass. That is, the flexible display includes a plastic film, and a number of pixel circuits each including an OLED formed on the plastic film.
While manufacturing the flexible OLED display, the plastic film is formed on a rigid carrier substrate like glass. The pixel circuit and the OLED are formed on the plastic film, and then the carrier substrate and the plastic film are separated from each other. The carrier substrate supports the plastic film that is kept flat during the manufacturing process.
The carrier substrate and the plastic film are formed in the shape of a mother board so as to simultaneously manufacture a plurality of flexible display devices, and the carrier substrate and the plastic film are cut to be individual flexible display devices.
After separation of the carrier substrate and the plastic film, the plastic film is cut or an external force is continuously applied to bend the flexible display device. In the process, the flexible display device is physically damaged and thus cracks can be formed. The cracks can spread to a display area through an inorganic layer causing that an internal permeation path to be formed. Environmental contaminants cause organic material degradation, leading to pixel shrinkage and the like.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only to enhance the understanding of the background of the described technology, and therefore it can contain information that does not constitute the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.